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Photo of a squirrel

List of rodents

Small mammals with continually growing front teeth.

Photo of a beaver
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Bis forBeaver

Scientific name: castor canadensis
Beavers are a small, brown animal related to the squirrel. They are found in America and Europe. They spend their time in and around water, and are excellent swimmers. Beavers are best known for their ability to build dams. They cut down trees with their sharp teeth and drag the logs to where they need them, and stack them up to make a dam. They end up with their own ponds that they tend to, which protects their den. Beavers eat waterlilys.

Cis forChipmunk

Scientific name: genus: tamias
A chipmunk is a small rodent that is very similar to the squirrel. They will eat nuts, berries, frogs and even baby mice.
Photo of a flying squirrel
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Scientific name: tribe: pteromyini
Flying squirrels are a variety of squirrel that has a flap of skin joining its front and back legs. Flying squirrels can spread out this flap like a parachute to glide between trees.
Photo of a gopher
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Gis forGopher

Scientific name: family: geomyidae
Gopher is the common name for both true gophers and some types of ground squirrels. Gophers are a type of rodent that spends most of its time digging burrows. Gophers are a pest where underground crops like turnips or carrots are planted.
Photo of guinea pigs
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Scientific name: cavia porcellus
Guinea pigs, also called the cavy, are a small rodent originally from South America. They were first domesticated as a food source, but today guinea pigs are kept as pets. They have a quiet nature and don't mind being handled.

His forHamster

Scientific name: mesocricetus auratus
Hamsters are a small rodent that is often kept as a pet. Hamsters are originally from Syria. They have a large fur-lined pouch on either side of their face that goes all the way to their shoulders that they can fill with food. In the wild, they usually eat seeds and nuts.
Photo of a lemming
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Lis forLemming

Scientific name: lemmus lemmus
Lemmings are small rodents closely related to voles. They eat mainly leaves new shoots and grasses. Lemmings will sometimes migrate in large numbers, not stopping even if a cliff gets in the way, which has lead to many myths about their behaviour.
Photo of a mouse
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Mis forMouse

Scientific name: mus musculus
Mice are very small animals that are often found in houses. They are a pest, and eat stored food. Cats, snakes and many other animals eat mice. Some people keep mice as pets. The plural of mouse is mice.
Photo of a porcupine
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Scientific name: Families: erethizontidae and hystricidae
Porcupines are a large rodent related to the beaver. They are spiny like hedgehogs and echidnas but are not related to either of them. Porcupines come in many shapes and sizes, but all have sharp quills. Porcupines can lose their quills, so if something bites a porcupine they get a mouthful of spikes.
Photo of a rat
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Ris forRat

Scientific name: genus: rattus
Rats are like large mice. They often live near people, scavenging food scraps in rubbish tips or stored food in houses. Rats are pests and most people try and get rid of rats if they can. Rats can also kept as pets. Pet rats tend to be white or multicoloured, and wild rats tend to be plain brown or grey.